The toco toucan is the rainforest bird famous for its enormous orange-and-black bill and is native to the Amazon and other parts of tropical South America.
Its scientific name is Ramphastos toco. The bill looks cumbersome, but it is relatively light because it is made of a honeycomb-like structure covered by keratin. Toucans use it to reach fruit on slender branches, manipulate food, and possibly display to rivals or mates.
Toco toucans are mainly fruit eaters, although they also take insects, eggs, nestlings, and small reptiles. Their large bill helps them regulate heat by changing blood flow through the bill, making it part of the bird’s thermoregulation system.
The toco toucan is the largest member of the toucan family. It is sometimes confused with smaller toucan species or toucanets, which can have different colours and ranges. The species nests in tree cavities and often roosts with its bill tucked beneath its wing.